Scott Brown (R-MA) Wore Pink Leather Shorts on His First Date With His Wife

Next Sunday's New York Times Magazine features Frank Bruni's profile of Scott Brown, victim of Internet bullying and actual Massachusetts senator. Before Scott Brown was a congressional celebrity, he was an Internet celebrity, and before that, sort of an actual celebrity who appeared as a Cosmopolitan magazine centerfold, like celebrities do. All this is important background information for understanding why the Episode of Scott Brown's Pink Leather Shorts is so delightful.

Bruni talked to Brown's wife—herself a music video celebrity!—who informed him that Brown showed up to their first day in a pair of pink leather shorts. At first, Scott Brown pretends to be ashamed, and then he becomes mildly defensive, and then he tells Bruni so, so much about 1980s-style pink leather shorts. “The pinkish color drained from [Brown’s] face when I asked him about it during a conversation in his campaign office just before we took off in the truck. He clarified that the shorts weren’t something that he went out and purchased — it wasn’t like that at all. ‘I did the couture shows, and instead of paying in cash, they paid in clothes,’ he said. ‘And one of the things I had to wear were leather shorts. And these happened to be pink.’”

As he told the story, he seemed, almost in spite of himself, to get into it. ‘If I wore these now,’ he said, ‘I’d get shot. But it was the ’80s. Pastels were in. It was all pastel-y.’ The shorts went with his tan at the time and a pair of white shoes that he owned, so he gave them a whirl. ‘Gail comes out and she’s like, “Those are pink shorts.” I said: “Yeah, you like them? They’re great. Comfortable. Feel this leather.”’ With this last phrase, he slowly stroked the side of one of his thighs, apparently miming the gesture he made in front of her.”

He emphasized: ‘This isn’t cheap leather. This is, like, $750 shorts back then.’ He shook his head at the memory. ‘Crazy stuff.’”